Oh and the other thing to consider investing in, if you really start to get into good wine, is a Coravin. Total game changer. You can extract a glass at a time from a bottle without removing the cork, preserving the wine indefinitely. Has made it so I can drink some of our early 90s Barolos without any guilt!
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Wine Thread
- Thread starter ccasanova
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That Decoy is the value wine for Duckhorn. When you get to the state store, buy a bottle each of Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon and a bottle of Merlot. If you like Decoy, you'll love Duckhorn.
Their high end wine tends to come from "Three Palms Vineyard". Those are over a Benjamin apiece and hard to find. So stick with the regular Duckhorn and thank me later.
Where you are able, when selecting a Bordeaux, I tend to stick with the Grand Cru opposed to the Cru Bourgeois. It's not that Grand Cru guarantees goodness or that Bourgeois is necessarily bad. It's just that your chances are better of getting an acceptable quality. Think of it in terms like Grand Cru is Knob Creek or Booker's and Cru Bourgeois is regular Jim Beam. (It's more complicated than that, but just trying to draw a comparison) Also, Bordeauxs are meant to lay down for a few years to allow the tannins to soften. Sometimes if you get a young bottle, it may be unpleasantly astringent. It might be 5-8 years before it's ready. Not always, just something to keep in mind.
The guy helping me last night was young, and not as experienced as most of their staff. They advertise 6,300+ varieties, and I believe it, as the store is huge. I’ll pick up some Duckhorn next time. Also will look for some of the others mentioned in this thread.
@deltaheavy I’ve been watching/reading Wine Folly vids/articles the past week, and learning. I agree with your thoughts about practicality and simplicity.
Is it strange that starting out, I seem to prefer darker/dryer/stronger reds (Cab Sav > Pino Noir) and reds to whites? It could be what they are paired with, but even after dinner, just tasting and drinking to enjoy/learn seems to be that way.
@deltaheavy I’ve been watching/reading Wine Folly vids/articles the past week, and learning. I agree with your thoughts about practicality and simplicity.
Is it strange that starting out, I seem to prefer darker/dryer/stronger reds (Cab Sav > Pino Noir) and reds to whites? It could be what they are paired with, but even after dinner, just tasting and drinking to enjoy/learn seems to be that way.
Wasn't big into wine until I lived/worked in Italy for three years, '14-'17. Brunellos and Barolos spoiled me. We've also been making annual trips to Napa during the holidays since we've been back CONUS. Big fan of Howell and Spring Mountain vineyards.
Given COVID bullshit, we've been straight up murdering our supply (only a few weekends worth):
Given COVID bullshit, we've been straight up murdering our supply (only a few weekends worth):
You forgot
You forgot :
And the end of all:
do you know how th make Mogen David wine?
Kick him in the balls.
Tasting Note: A nice sweet wine with aromas of fresh Concord grapes that finished eleg
The best advice I was ever given "try different kinds and find out what works best for you". I found out that I don't like really dry red wines, there are some white wines I like but once again, not too dry. I prefer Jacobs Cellars and it is cheap. More expensive does not always mean better, because it could have sat for too long in the wrong conditions and turned to vinegar.
We were there in 2013. Loved the speakeasy hidden in the basement. My wife loved their Viognier. Much better than Stag’s Leap.
wife and I are Pinot fans . Twomey is her go-to. Their 2013 Russian River was awesome. This one is very very close.
If you like whiskey and hate beer like me, try port wines. They’re the best.
I was trapped in my room on the Azores in the middle of a hurricane with nothing but a Swanson tv dinner and a bottle of 40 year ruby port.
I have not been able to drink port since.
I have been for a very long time a fan of Napa Cabs. I know California is a shitbag state but damn the true Napas not blends seconds etc.. are absolutely world class. That said for 25-30 btl Sterling Cab is very very hard to beat. It lingers nicely on the pallet but not too heavy. It goes great with everything in my opinion. NOT the vintners blend. Cakebread, Jordan, stags leap (all of them), caymus are all faves, but cost double if not triple the sterling and may need to be decanted a lot longer before enjoying.
Here's today's selection for lunch with charcuterie:
It's something you will not find anywhere else. White Barbera. The taste profile is close to a less sweet Viognier.
It's something you will not find anywhere else. White Barbera. The taste profile is close to a less sweet Viognier.
Add another fantastic Red Blend to the list: “Tenshen”.
Runs about $20 or $25 a bottle and is well worth it.
They also make a rosé, a white blend and a Cab, but I’ve only had the red blend. Caymus is still my favorite wine, but the budget doesn’t always support Caymus.
Runs about $20 or $25 a bottle and is well worth it.
They also make a rosé, a white blend and a Cab, but I’ve only had the red blend. Caymus is still my favorite wine, but the budget doesn’t always support Caymus.
I spend January - May in NZ for the last few years, and have found a few good Pinots. There are several good wineries in the Marlborough and Nelson areas of the south island. My favorite Pinot Noirs are still from Willamette Valley in Oregon. Especially like some of the Rex Hill vintages from the early 2000's.
Spent most of my wine touring in the Central Otago valley. I'll admit I am not a white wine guy at baseline, but gave 10'ish vineyards a try. It simply felt like I was tasting straight up liquid green pepper in my glass
Enjoying Decoy Cab tonight...our favorite so far. Will look for Duckhorn next time I get to the bigger store.
Well, we’ve been through all the Decoy, and most of the Duckhorn offerings. The Duckhorn Cab was great. We prefer Cakebread Chardonnay over the Duckhorn Chard. Picked up Mayacamas Chardonnay for a special occasion. Really wanted the Caymus Cab, but held off.
What’s your favorite $50-$100 Cab and Pinot Noir?
What’s your favorite $50-$100 Cab and Pinot Noir?
For under $100, our favorite Cabs are:
Amizetta Estate Winery
www.amizetta.com
Aonair Wines
We use only the best grapes, in limited barrel quantities, and our wines consist of bold vintages, primarily sourced from the rocky volcanic hillside vineyards of Napa Valley. Many wine connoisseurs have called these the best wines in the world. We are humbled and honored to think that in a...
www.aonairwine.com
For under $100 Pinots:
Peacock Cellars
peacockcellars.com
All of these are in our around Spring Mountain
well if your going to wine you have to have some cheese
and then you really need someone playing a violin to make the whole picture complete
and of course its a tiny violin cause no one wants to hear an adult wine .
and then you really need someone playing a violin to make the whole picture complete
and of course its a tiny violin cause no one wants to hear an adult wine .
Rombauer chard is very popular. Although I am not all about it personally. Grgich Hills chard is good too.
Why don't you give "The Prisoner" a go. It's a red blend. I think you will like it.
A friend of mine once told me, she gave up her virginity for a bottle of Micheloeb Ultra and some Provolone Cheese!
I’m a Pinot Noir drinker here. Picked it up about 6 years ago and quickly realized I’d rather stay in the $18-30 a bottle range. La Crema is a great budget Pinot. Decoy was great but the flavor has changed with the vintage. Currently drinking Sonoma Cutrer and Duckhorn Migration. The Migration is normally $34-36 a bottle. Scored a case at $23 a bottle.
Funny you mention that now.
I just received the email to purchase a futures contract for this. 2019 vintage at only $470 a bottle.
Of course, that is dirt cheap compared to a 2005 (really any vintage) Petrus.
Let's see, a bottle of Petrus or a new Tangent Theta with Sphur mount...hmmm.
Go be poor somewhere else!!
Good price, if the harvest was a good one you can figure it being around $1500 a bottle in a decade or so.
I don't know what the overall vintage score is for 2019 for Margaux region, but the specific wine is rated 98-100. Although it does need to be properly cellared for at least 15 years.
I think I paid 1150 for a ‘06 bottle about 7 years ago. Can’t afford to be frivolous now that I’m married.
Oh man, I make a mean charcuterie tray. Work next to this place— Spanish cured meat and cheese distributor.
wife and I catered our own wedding withselections from this place:
Spanish Food Importer & Manufacturer
Fine Spanish food and manufacturer of premium Spanish-style artisan sausages. Distributor of Wines, Jamon Iberico, Cheese, Paella ingredients, tapas, and desserts. Best Paella in California.
www.laespanolameats.com
try Dr. Loosen Rieslings or other German rieslings. Dr. Loosen is a great bargain proposal offering easy drinking quality.
Mezzacorona. About $12 for a 1.5L bottle. From the Adige Valley in Italy. The Dolomites. Beautiful part of the world. PG is also grown in California, but it usually is never as good as Italian PG.
Along with the other 1st growths! A friend said he drank them for free essentially. Said he’d buy two cases, wait 5 years and sell the 2nd case for what he’d paid for both cases originally. Chateau Lafite mostly. I never had the balls to try that, so I stuck with Pape Clement level stuff. 1982 was a favorite. Have switched since then to California vintages. Shafer is one of my favorites, along with Del Dotto and Groth. For everyday wines, I hit the Costco bin and pick up bottles that look interesting. All Bordeaux style.
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